Chapter 55: Flying Broomstick
Snape really did care about Harry after all.
As for testing whether I am a genius, everything he taught was just Protective Spells and counter-Spells for common malicious Spells.
Even if he didn't say it, Xiao Deng guessed that he would go and secretly keep an eye on Quirrell.
By the time Xiao Deng came out of the office, it was already afternoon.
That Old Bat is such a dawdler, fussing on and on.
Another day where it's almost time to eat once I'm free.
What a sin!
Seeing that there was still some time left, it felt like it had been a while since I went to coax my concubine.
Looking around, no one was paying attention to him, so he went straight into the restroom.
"Myrtle, my concubine, look who's here to see you?"
A phantom figure rushed directly in front of Xiao Deng.
After seeing Xiao Deng, she snorted coldly, turned her head, and faced away from him again.
"Who are you? I don't know you."
Xiao Deng smiled slightly.
"Haven't seen you in a few days, and you've grown a temper?"
"Who told you not to come for these past few days! Which girl have you been flirting with?"
Xiao Deng stepped forward to face Myrtle.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Am I that kind of person?"
Myrtle puffed out her cheeks and pointed at Xiao Deng.
"Remove the 'are you' part; you're even capable of forcing a ghost to become your concubine."
"You! You are exactly that kind of person!"
Xiao Deng found a spot and sat down.
"Oh, don't mind that. Don't say things that are detrimental to unity."
Myrtle floated over and sat on top of Xiao Deng's head.
"There's been a lot of clanging outside lately. What's been happening?"
Xiao Deng picked a few things to tell Myrtle, and she listened with great interest.
"Are you really a first-year student?"
"How can you be so amazing? You aren't pulling my leg, are you?"
"You don't even have a body; what could I do by pulling your leg?"
A blush appeared on Myrtle's pale face.
"Don't do it!"
Xiao Deng:???
"Master, so you've been very tired lately?"
Xiao Deng sighed and nodded slightly.
"Let's just say it hasn't been very easy."
Myrtle came down from Xiao Deng's head and stood opposite him.
"Come tonight, and I'll help you relax."
Xiao Deng was a bit puzzled:
"You don't even have a body; how will you help me relax?"
"Shut up!"
Myrtle screamed, so embarrassed that she dove straight into the faucet.
Xiao Deng slowly stood up, checked the time, and felt it was about time.
He called out to Myrtle a few times, but there was no response, so he simply stopped bothering with her.
After coming out of the restroom and seeing the people passing by, he decided to go get something to eat.
Fasting can wait; mostly, he was craving Hermione's pumpkin juice.
After entering the Great Hall, he saw Harry and his group at a glance.
Thanks to Ron, they always came to eat very early.
Xiao Deng sat down unhurriedly in the seat next to Hermione.
As soon as he sat down, Harry couldn't wait to say to him:
"Xiao Deng, I've joined the team. I'll be training starting tomorrow."
Xiao Deng nodded slightly, not surprised at all.
The Child of Destiny, after all; it's normal. He'll be smooth sailing wherever he goes.
"Then you should train well, and we'll go watch when the time comes."
Harry seemed very happy to hear Xiao Deng's response.
Hermione placed two cups of pumpkin juice on the table.
She signaled to Xiao Deng with a threatening look, but Xiao Deng just smiled and said nothing.
As the group was chatting, a bird's cry suddenly came from outside.
An Owl flew in from outside, dragging a long package.
When it passed by Harry, the package landed heavily on the table where Xiao Deng and the others were eating.
As luck would have it, the long tail knocked over Xiao Deng's pumpkin juice.
However, no one noticed yet; their eyes were all fixed on the package on the table.
The card on it read, "To Harry Potter."
Harry hurriedly unwrapped the package, and inside lay a brand-new flying broomstick.
Miss Know-It-All immediately went online.
"Harry, this is a flying broomstick."
"A Nimbus 2000 model flying broomstick."
Ron also widened his eyes.
After all, he was from a pure-blood family; his family was just a bit poor, not completely ignorant.
"How much must this have cost!"
"How many chicken legs could all that money buy!"
Xiao Deng's eyelid twitched. You'd better just stop talking; your remarks are even worse than Hermione's, and she's Muggle-born.
Harry was very happy to see the flying broomstick and snuck a glance at Professor McGonagall, who was sitting at the teachers' table.
While other young Wizards were still in shock, Xiao Denghad already taken in these interactions.
Just as Dumbledore said.
Professor McGonagall really does dote on Harry.
Old Bee, he really managed to pull it off.
Aside from this exciting event, with Professor McGonagallpresiding, there were no other surprises during the meal.
It was just that when Hermione went to get her own pumpkin juice, she found it had disappeared.
Hm? Where's the pumpkin juice?
Subconsciously, she turned her head to look.
Just in time to see Xiao Deng tilt his head back and finish all the pumpkin juice in the cup.
Although she had gotten pumpkin juice for Xiao Deng, she had a feeling that the one Xiao Deng was drinking was hers.
"Xiao Deng, whose pumpkin juice are you drinking?"
"Yours."
Hermione was so angry she laughed; this jerk wasn't even pretending anymore.
Hermione took a deep breath and asked through gritted teeth:
"Then where is yours!"
Xiao Deng glanced at the place where he had just put his cup; the cup had already disappeared.
"It was knocked over by the flying broomstick just now."
Harry didn't speak and silently moved the flying broomstick under the table.
Hermione clenched her small fist.
"You are truly something!"
She stood up and left the dining table.
The others were too scared to make a sound.
"Neville, tell Malfoy that we won't be practicing Spells for the next few days."
"After all, Harry needs to go to Quidditch training."
Neville glanced in Malfoy's direction.
"Won't he be angry?"
Xiao Deng smiled slightly.
"No, you just need to explain clearly that it's because Harryhas to go to Quidditch training."
"He won't give you a hard time."
Neville nodded, and although he was nervous, he went anyway.
In a little while, Neville came jogging back, his face full of joy.
"Xiao Deng, you were right, Malfoy really didn't give me a hard time."
Ron looked at Neville with a puzzled expression.
"With that foul temper of his, who doesn't he yell at when he sees them?"
Neville seemed to suddenly remember something and looked at Ron.
"Malfoy also asked me to give you a message."
Ron was even more surprised. Could this guy actually send a message to him?
"He said, 'Only that Weasley pig likes to yell all day long.'"
"What right does that reptile have to talk about me?"
"He said: 'Because he's richer than you.'"
...
Xiao Deng rubbed his temples. Have these two lunatics had their brains fried by a Crucio?
They can even argue from a distance?
Finally, it ended on the grounds that Neville couldn't remember that much of the message.
Xiao Deng slowly stood up.
"If you've eaten your fill, let's go."
The group nodded one after another, and Harry also picked up the broomstick and left the Great Hall.
There was no need to practice today, and the group's nerves couldn't help but relax a bit.
Xiao Deng had also considered this.
After all, these people were still just children, and their ability to cope with stress wasn't that strong.
Timely relaxation would actually have a better effect.
He had originally planned this, and since Harry's matter happened to come up, he went with the flow and let them all relax.
Harry returned to the Dormitory, touching the flying broomstick, unable to put it down.
Xiao Deng thought of Snape. And he said he didn't care about Harry?
Chapter 56: Casting Protective Spells on the Broomstick
Teaching me a bunch of Protective Spells and counter-Spells was just to turn me into a line of defense for Harry!
Every single one of them is a scheming old bastard.
Ron looked at the broomstick and asked:
"What if you fall off the broomstick?"
Neville shuddered, looking a bit worried.
"I heard the Nimbus 2000 is one of the top broomsticks right now."
"If you fall off this, wouldn't you be black and blue all over?"
Ron blurted out without thinking:
"Well, that's still better than Seamus. He'd probably end up in pieces scattered here and there."
"Bullshit, Ron!"
Seamus poked his head out and glared angrily at Ron.
"I haven't blown anything up in a long time!"
Neville scratched his head sheepishly and said,
"Seamus, maybe you should wait until your eyebrows grow back before saying that?"
"I can't be bothered with you."
A flash of embarrassment crossed Seamus's face. With a cold snort, he retreated back to his bed.
At first, Harry hadn't thought about this.
But as the others talked, making it sound more and more ridiculous, Harry couldn't help but feel a bit anxious.
Then, Harry looked at Xiao Deng, his eyes filled with hope.
Here it comes, here it comes. Harry is about to ask for help.
Xiao Deng pretended to be busy with his own things, acting as if he hadn't noticed Harry.
"Xiao Deng, what do you think I should do about this?"
"If I really fall to my death, or even just get injured, it would be a huge hassle."
"Is there any way to get some insurance on this?"
The corners of Xiao Deng's mouth twitched upward. He had finally asked.
Although Dumbledore and Snape had hinted, both explicitly and implicitly, for him to look after Harry,
Xiao Deng wouldn't just offer his help to Harry directly.
Isn't it better to have The Chosen One owe him a favor?
Helping him after he asked was completely different from eagerly offering help unprompted.
Xiao Deng feigned deep thought for a moment.
"Well, there is a way, but you're playing Quidditch, not going to war. You won't get blown up."
Harry looked at the broomstick:
"You're right, but just to be safe, could you help me add some protective measures?"
Ron suddenly chimed in at this moment:
"Xiao Deng, does this kind of spell drain you?"
Xiao Deng was taken aback. My goodness, Ron, you actually used your brain and helped out for once!
Not that it mattered much; anyone who asked around would know what kind of impact these Spells had.
"A little bit, but it's no big deal."
Xiao Deng reached out and took Harry's broomstick.
Thinking about the Spells Snape had crammed into his head all at once, he couldn't help but feel a bit speechless.
He then drew his wand and began chanting.
A soft glow slowly emerged from both the wand and the broomstick.
Before long, the color of the glow began to change.
Harry just watched as Xiao Deng continued to chant.
Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye before Xiao Deng slowly opened his eyes.
The glow on the broomstick also gradually faded.
"All done."
"I've placed nine Protective Spells on your broomstick."
"Under normal circumstances, ordinary Spells cast with ill intent won't be able to get near you."
"I was even deeply inspired by Seamus and added a little something extra inside."
"If it gets triggered, it will blow up."
"It won't be life-threatening, but their face will turn black and their eyebrows will be singed."
Harry happily took back the broomstick, feeling much more at ease.
"Thank you so much, Xiao Deng!"
The next day.
Harry rushed off in a hurry to attend training.
There were no classes today, and they didn't have to practice Spells, so most people were sleeping in.
Xiao Deng slowly got up. He needed to make a trip to the Forbidden Forest.
He couldn't just stand still while his friends were growing and making progress.
Xiao Deng slowly stepped out of the Dormitory.
Just as he stepped out, his footsteps paused. It had been so many days; he wondered how the Unicorns were doing.
He would go see the Unicorns before heading into the Forbidden Forest.
Hagrid's cabin was still rarely visited.
Hagrid was exceptionally warm and welcoming upon seeing Xiao Deng.
They talked about animals and drank together, though Xiao Deng only drank fruit juice.
But that didn't affect Hagrid's warm welcome of the little fellow at all.
After all, there weren't many people in all of Hogwartswho shared his interests like Xiao Deng.
"Hey, Hagrid, I came to see the Unicorns today."
Hagrid spread his arms wide and said happily,
"Of course!"
"It's also the Unicorns' good fortune to have met you."
The two chatted as they walked.
"The last time I came, I gave them names."
"What are they called?"
"The big one is called Da Bai, and the small one is Xiao Bai. I've already gotten their consent."
Hagrid pursed his lips and nodded slightly.
"Those names... well... they're just..."
"Okay, as long as they like them!"
Hagrid finally convinced himself to accept these names, which seemed extremely half-hearted to him.
The two walked together to the back of the cabin, and Hagrid shouted loudly:
"Come look, you two! Guess who's here?"
When Da Bai saw the person behind Hagrid, its body stiffened, and it instinctively took half a step back.
Xiao Deng froze on the spot, clutching his chest with a hurt expression on his face.
"Are you serious with that half-step back?"
Even the carefree Hagrid felt a bit embarrassed and scratched his head.
Surely not. Unicorns weren't ungrateful creatures, so he felt he needed to say something.
"Xiao Deng, you know, I told you before."
"Unicorns, well, they tend to prefer females."
Xiao Deng slowly pulled back his expression and nodded slightly.
"You did, I know."
"I only came over to see how they're recovering."
"Now that I've seen them, I should get going."
"Hagrid, I still have things to do back at school, so I'll head back first."
"I'll bring you some wine next time!"
Hearing about wine, Hagrid grew excited, immediately putting the awkward moment behind him.
"Alright, off you go then."
Xiao Deng turned and left, his retreating figure looking somewhat sorrowful.
In Xiao Deng's spiritual sense, Xiao Bai was running over from the distance, but before it arrived, Xiao Deng had already left.
Running up to Da Bai, it nudged Da Bai with its hoof.
It seemed to be saying, 'Why did you drive Big Brother away?'
Da Bai felt a bit guilty. It was like this last time, and now it was like this again.
Faced with Xiao Bai's question, Da Bai really couldn't answer.
Owing someone a favor, owing them their lives, yet still giving them the cold shoulder—how could it face other beasts in the Forbidden Forest in the future?
It absolutely couldn't do this next time. It had to control itself!
Seeing Da Bai's ashamed look, Xiao Deng was absolutely thrilled.
How dare you look down on this young master! I'll make you come over willingly to let me pet your fur.
With Hagrid's attention elsewhere, Xiao Deng slipped into the Forbidden Forest in a flash.
"Chirp chirp~"
"Clop clop~"
"Roar roar~"
"That human is here again!"
Before long, many animals found out that Xiao Deng was back, and they all kept their distance.
Even hostile animals temporarily put aside their rivalries at this moment.
The place where Xiao Deng usually stayed had almost become a forbidden zone within the Forbidden Forest.
No animal was willing to go and provoke Xiao Deng.
However, Xiao Deng hadn't come in specifically to fight this time.
Instead, he wanted to test something!
With his current level, could he actually cast Spells without a wand?
If not, he wanted to learn how.
Having seen Dumbledore perform Wandless Magic, he found it rather cool.
To pick up... uh, no!
It would also make casting Spells a bit more convenient in the future.
Wouldn't that look incredibly cool!
Chapter 57: Dabai Feels Very Guilty
Look, with my looks, I'm just as handsome as Daniel Wu.
Standing in mid-air with my hands behind my back, wouldn't that absolutely charm the girls of Hogwarts to death?
Forget about Dabai; she gives me attitude every day. She's not even as good as Hermione—she won't even let me pet her!
Xiao Deng sat cross-legged, quietly feeling the magicinside his body, which was currently circulating along the route of the Hehuan Sect's cultivation technique.
Only when Xiao Deng's state reached its peak did he stand up.
Recalling the information he had found in the Library.
This time, he didn't take out his wand.
"Accio: Stone, fly here!"
A gentle breeze blew past, but the stone in front of him didn't change at all.
Xiao Deng couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed.
He extended one hand, slowly forming a claw-like grip in the air.
The stone instantly flew into Xiao Deng's hand. Xiao Dengcouldn't help but sigh softly.
The methods of the cultivation world are still more direct!
But just in case, it was still safer to learn the magical methods.
There was also Non-verbal spellcasting; he might not need to use it, but he had to know how.
In a critical moment, it might just save his life.
Who could guarantee that their wand would be in their hand at all times?
Just like that, Xiao Deng practiced here until dusk.
"I've probably mastered it, but I still need to practice more in the future."
Xiao Deng looked at his palm, then at the sky.
He decided not to stay any longer and head back first.
As he emerged from the Forbidden Forest, he saw Hagrid's cabin in the distance.
After a moment of hesitation, he decided to go take a look.
Xiaobai hadn't played with him during the day and seemed quite disappointed.
Hagrid was nowhere to be seen; he wasn't in the cabin.
With a quick flash, Xiao Deng arrived behind the cabin.
As soon as Xiao Deng entered, Xiaobai immediately locked onto him and hopped over, and Xiaobai's voice appeared in his mind.
"Brother, you're here!"
Looking at the lively Xiaobai, the corners of Xiao Deng's mouth curled up slightly.
He slowly sat on the ground, and Xiaobai immediately jumped into Xiao Deng's arms.
In Xiaobai's eyes, Brother Xiao Deng had saved him and his mother multiple times—how could he possibly be a bad guy!
Just as he hugged Xiaobai, a sharp gaze swept over.
Sensing it, Xiao Deng raised his head slightly, meeting Dabai's slightly wary eyes.
Xiao Deng didn't say much; he simply nodded to Dabai.
This action caught Dabai off guard for a moment.
What was with this slightly distant politeness?
Just as Dabai wanted to stand up, a wave of weakness washed over her entire body.
She wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but even the external wounds that had already healed seemed to ache slightly.
Dabai suddenly woke up to reality.
She was the one who was injured, and he had saved her.
Yet she hadn't recognized the situation and had repeatedly shown her dislike.
The favor of saving her life, the favor of healing her wounds, the favor of providing shelter...
All of these had been ignored by her due to her pride and prejudice.
If not for Xiao Deng, how could she still be an aloof, high-and-mighty Unicorn?
She would have just become a neglected corpse, just like Xiaobai's father.
Xiao Deng's faded warmth in his eyes made her feel uncomfortable.
She knew she was wrong and looked at Xiao Deng, but Xiao Deng's gaze didn't meet hers.
"Even if you have dirty thoughts, it's fine now!"
Xiao Deng gently placed Xiaobai on the ground.
"Xiaobai, live a good life from now on."
"Once you're both recovered, Hagrid will send you back, so don't worry."
Xiaobai didn't understand what was wrong with Brother Xiao Deng and asked anxiously:
"Brother, aren't you going to send us back?"
Xiao Deng fell silent for a moment.
"Hagrid is the gamekeeper and the main person in charge of patrolling the Forbidden Forest."
"I'm still just a student at Hogwarts, so I have no right to interfere in these matters."
With Xiao Deng's abilities, it would be very easy to ask Dumbledore for a favor to let him send them back.
But he had to make sure Dabai heard these words.
Xiao Deng didn't look at Dabai when he left this time, and Dabai's heart was already filled with guilt.
Xiaobai walked over to Dabai and asked:
"Mom, why do I feel like Brother Xiao Deng won't come back?"
Unicorns had their own unique perception.
Xiaobai was a bit unsure, but Dabai knew that Xiaobai's feeling was highly likely correct.
Because she was a Unicorn, most animals would not be hostile toward her.
Even humans wouldn't actively provoke her.
Having lived a carefree life for most of her existence, how could she have ever expected to be attacked by evil people?
Accustomed to being high and mighty, she had used this pride and prejudice as an excuse, thinking, 'this is just how Unicorns are.'
Only now did she truly see her own heart!
Naturally, Xiao Deng didn't need to look at Dabai's situation; under the scan of his divine sense, none of her movements could escape him.
Dabai's guilt was entirely within his grasp!
You couldn't really call Xiao Deng petty, but he was her savior, after all!
What was wrong with petting her a little? What was so wrong about that?
Xiao Deng's mind was filled with criticism of Dabai.
Over the next few days, Xiao Deng didn't look for anyone else to practice Spells with.
Instead, he frequently went to the Forbidden Forest to practice his wandless and Non-verbal spellcasting.
The moment he entered Hogwarts today, Xiao Dengsubconsciously raised his hand and blocked an apple.
Peeves, who was hiding in the shadows, looked extremely displeased.
How could such a stealthy sneak attack fail?
Seeing that Peeves looked like he wanted to run, Xiao Deng called out to him.
"Wait a moment, I have something to discuss with you."
Peeves looked at Xiao Deng warily; he knew his own shortcomings and that no one in the school really liked him.
"Let's make a deal. I'll let you have as much fun as you want."
Hearing that he could have fun, Peeves beamed with joy.
"Tell me, what kind of deal?"
...
Both Xiao Deng and Peeves left the place, feeling thoroughly satisfied.
After paying a visit to Snape's office, he leisurely made his way to the Great Hall for dinner.
Harry and the others actually hadn't arrived yet, which was quite unusual today.
He found a seat, sat down, and looked at today's menu.
With a gentle wave of his right hand, all the food he had just selected was laid out on the table.
Just as he took a bite, a girl's delicate fragrance wafted over from beside him.
Without even looking, he knew the scent was all too familiar.
"You're back so early today. Are you finished with your business?"
Xiao Deng swallowed his food and turned to look at the person beside him.
"Aren't you early too? Did the Library close early today?"
Hermione wrinkled her small nose, looking thoroughly disgusted.
"That idiot Ron said he was decent at wizard's chess."
"And do you know what happened?"
"It's one thing to make a bad move, but he actually took back his moves!"
Harry and the other two also sat down across from Xiao Deng.
"What do you mean 'taking back moves'? I just hadn't finished thinking yet!"
Hermione wore an "I told you so" expression.
"See? He's still denying it."
Xiao Deng patted Hermione's hair.
"Oh, don't be mad, don't be mad. *Pat, pat.*"
"Hurry up and eat!"
"I'll take you guys somewhere after dinner."
Ron's attention was instantly diverted.
"Where? Are there chicken legs?"
Neville chimed in quickly, "If there are chicken legs, Ron, you can't snatch them all again."
Ron's mouth twitched as he glanced at Neville, who only ever thought about food.
Hermione tapped Xiao Deng's arm and asked:
"Where on earth are we going?"
Xiao Deng smiled slightly and didn't give a straight answer.
"Just follow me after you're done eating, and you'll find out."
"Neville, when you're done eating, pass a message to Malfoy."
Chapter 58: A Different Kind of Training
After the last message, Neville's fear of Malfoy seemed to have lessened a bit.
Neville only nodded after hearing this, saying nothing else.
Xiao Deng looked at Harry.
"Harry, where is your broom?"
Harry looked truly starved, constantly stuffing food into his mouth.
"I put it in the Dormitory first before coming out to eat."
Xiao Deng nodded without speaking, reaching out to place a bottle of Potion in front of Harry.
Harry's small face immediately twisted into a grimace.
Although he could feel the effects of this Potion, even helping him keep up with the training.
If it were his past self, it would have definitely been quite a struggle.
But the taste of this stuff was truly hard to describe.
Xiao Deng showed a gentle smile.
"Don't look so miserable, this is full of Professor Snape's love."
Harry curled his lip:
"Then his love tastes really awful!"
Xiao Deng laughed in his heart. *You said it, not me.*
Hermione reached for her pumpkin juice, unexpectedly feeling the cup.
It was filled to the brim with pumpkin juice, looking completely untouched.
Hermione glanced at Xiao Deng in surprise. Had this bastard changed his ways?
Although she had secured her pumpkin juice, she didn't seem to feel very happy.
An illusion, perhaps?
Hermione ignored that slight, abnormal feeling in her heart, picked up the pumpkin juice, and took a sip.
Hermione frowned and looked at the pumpkin juice.
The taste was still the same, but why did it feel like something was missing?
Xiao Deng didn't notice Hermione's expression, simply focusing on eating his own meal.
It wasn't that he thought he was wrong, but rather he was thinking about a few things.
The place they were going in a little while was not a pleasant one.
It was better to enjoy some good food and drink before heading there.
Lest they say he was inhumane.
Xiao Deng laughed inwardly, but kept his face expressionless.
"I'm done eating. I'll go call Malfoy."
Neville stood up and slowly walked towards the Slytherinside.
Since even Neville was almost done eating, the others were highly likely full as well.
After a short while, Neville jogged back.
"I've already told Malfoy."
"Malfoy said to let that stupid pig Weasley keep up with the main group."
Xiao Deng sighed softly. Neville was truly honest, passing on every single word!
Sure enough, Ron immediately blew his top.
"What?!"
"Who is that reptile talking about?!"
...
Harry covered his forehead.
"You two are as much of a headache as Professor Snape's Potions."
Xiao Deng slowly stood up and tidied his robes.
"If you're done eating, let's go."
The others agreed and followed Xiao Deng out of the Great Hall.
Xiao Deng's divine sense instantly picked up Malfoystanding in a less crowded spot.
Malfoy also saw Xiao Deng's group coming out, so he walked over.
Seeing Harry, a look of delight appeared on his face.
"Potter, you're going too?"
Harry nodded to confirm.
"Xiao Deng, where are we going?"
"Longbottom didn't explain clearly just now."
Xiao Deng waved his hand slightly.
"Don't blame him, I didn't tell him."
"I'll take you there now."
Xiao Deng led the way, while Malfoy fell into step beside Harry.
"Potter, how is Quidditch training going?"
"It's pretty good, I like it a lot."
...
It didn't take long before Xiao Deng brought them to an abandoned classroom.
As soon as they walked in, Hermione exclaimed:
"Peeves is here!"
Xiao Deng gently patted Hermione's shoulder.
"Relax, don't be afraid."
"I called Peeves over."
As soon as he said this, everyone looked at him with strange expressions.
You can actually negotiate things with Peeves?
"Ahem, I reached a cooperation agreement with him."
"He always likes to throw things, so I invited him to act as your sparring partner."
Malfoy looked at Peeves with disgust; the poltergeist had a terrible reputation.
Seeing that no one spoke up, and due to his promise to Xiao Deng, he didn't immediately object either.
Hermione immediately got a little angry.
"Xiao Deng, how can you do this?"
"Aren't you just encouraging his arrogant behavior?"
Malfoy silently gave a thumbs-up in his mind. *As expected, his little wife is the one who dares to speak up!*
Xiao Deng immediately held down Hermione, who was about to jump up.
"It's not that serious, it's just a perfect fit."
"What do you mean perfect—"
Xiao Deng interrupted Hermione and asked:
"Are you going to train then?"
Hermione finally calmed down, remaining silent for a long moment before speaking:
"Yes!"
Only then did Xiao Deng release his grip on Hermione's shoulder.
"Then why all the nagging?"
Ron snorted and burst out laughing.
But meeting Hermione's glare, he immediately choked it back.
Glaring at Xiao Deng, Hermione stopped talking.
Xiao Deng stood in front of everyone, slightly spreading his arms.
"You've learned quite a few things recently. You should do your best to deal with the things being thrown at you."
"A friendly reminder: the things being thrown this time are all 'good' things."
"Make sure not to let them touch you!"
Xiao Deng turned around to look at Peeves.
"Once I leave in a moment, you can begin."
Peeves chuckled:
"No problem, it'll be done perfectly!"
While the boy and the ghost were speaking, the others saw the items placed beside Peeves.
Pumpkin skins, fruit cores, blackened steamed buns, purple grapes...
There was truly a bit of everything!
Hermione even saw slops. Had Xiao Deng moved the kitchen garbage over here?
"Little Wizards, I'm starting now~ Hehehe~"
Harry ducked to avoid an object, but a pig-like howl came from behind him.
"What the f—?"
A piece of pumpkin skin was slapped right onto Ron's head.
"Hahaha, a pig is a pig, and now you look even more like one!"
Before he could finish speaking, a banana peel smacked Malfoy right in the face.
Well, now Malfoy had no time to mock Ron.
While Hermione was still dazed, a moldy steamed bun hit her right in the chest.
This was an absolute humiliation!
Hermione desperately flung out Spells.
Only after managing to dodge some fruits and vegetables did the real nightmare begin.
Because everything had fallen to the ground, Nevilleaccidentally slipped and fell flat on his backside.
Immediately after, tomatoes and rotten vegetable leaves pelted Neville's face one after another.
Howls echoed continuously in the classroom; this was far more exhausting than their last practice with animals.
But Peeves seemed tireless, continuing his relentless barrage.
This resulted in an embarrassing situation where it was a one-versus-five, yet the single player was utterly dominating.
But that wasn't even the most chaotic part. The real chaos began when Peeves started scooping up slops with a bowl and splashing it at them.
Hermione dodged left and right, completely forgetting to use magic.
"Xiao Deng, if I don't beat you up when I get out, I'll take your last name!"
Distracted for a split second, Peeves' slops splashed right onto Hermione's back.
"Ah!"
"Xiao Deng, I'm going to bite you to death!"
The others weren't having it any easier; Peeves' hands were simply too fast.
It was a truly equal-opportunity pelting; no one escaped!
If anyone accidentally slipped and fell, they were done for, completely covered in slops.
Earlier, the five of them still had some energy to cast Spellsfor defense.
But by the end, they had no chance at all and had to rely purely on dodging.
Listening to their howls from outside the classroom, the corners of Xiao Deng's mouth curled upward.
Enjoy yourselves!
Chapter 59: Going to the Fourth Floor
Xiao Deng was in a good mood; he hummed a little tune as he left the classroom.
First, he went to the bathroom to have a chat with Myrtle.
"Myrtle, I have a question."
"Go ahead, Master."
"You are a ghost, and Professor Binns is also a ghost."
"Are the things on you ghosts also intangible?"
"I don't quite understand."
"I mean, your physical body used to have life, but your clothes did not have life."
"You were able to become a ghost after you died, but can clothes be said to 'die'?"
Myrtle fell into deep thought; what Xiao Deng said made some sense.
Clothes have no life, so they cannot die.
Then, since she was currently wearing clothes, did that mean the clothes had died too?
But clothes don't have souls!
"So, after I died, I should have been naked?"
"But these clothes are still unexplainable."
Suddenly, Myrtle snapped out of it and floated in front of Xiao Deng.
"What bad idea are you cooking up again?"
Xiao Deng spread his hands innocently and said:
"Nothing at all, I just couldn't figure it out and was asking."
Myrtle suddenly let out a shriek.
"You wouldn't be trying to see me naked..."
"Ah!"
Myrtle's face turned red, and she darted into the faucet in a flash.
Xiao Deng knew that with Myrtle's personality, she wouldn't be coming out again today.
He simply brushed off the dust, stood up, and left.
Back to the Dormitory!
There was no one in the Dormitory; they were probably all out playing.
After washing up, Xiao Deng lay down.
Not long after, Harry and the others returned.
They were covered in dirt from head to toe and gave off a foul odor.
"You guys are back so soon?"
Harry said in a helpless tone:
"Peeves saw that we had no strength left to resist, found it boring, and let us come back."
Ron wailed, grabbed his things, and bolted.
"Quick, quick, quick, let's go shower, I can't stand this for even a second."
Oh, he could still run; it seemed they weren't that tired.
An hour later, they all returned one after another.
Ron's mouth was still pouting even now.
"That Peeves is simply not human; he's way too fast."
"He wasn't human to begin with."
Ron:...
The group lay on their beds, not wanting to move.
Late at night.
"Harry, are you asleep?"
"No, what's wrong, Ron?"
"How are they sleeping so soundly? I can't fall asleep."
"I can't sleep either."
"I wonder if Xiao Deng is asleep."
"I'm not asleep."
Xiao Deng's sudden answer gave Ron a start.
"Want to go for a night stroll?"
"Let's go!"
"Let's go!"
The three of them snuck out of bed and crept out the door.
"But, where are we going?"
Harry thought for a moment and said: "We haven't been to the Fourth Floor yet, let's go take a look."
"The three of you aren't sleeping properly and are out for a night stroll. Do you know that's against the rules?"
Harry and Ron were just about to yell, but Xiao Dengcovered their mouths with one hand each.
Hermione walked out of the darkness, staring fixedly at the three of them.
Xiao Deng glanced at Hermione.
"And you aren't out for a night stroll too? The pot calling the kettle black."
"If you weren't out, how would you know we were out?"
Hermione retorted righteously:
"If I hadn't come out, how could I have caught the three of you?"
Xiao Deng crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Hermione with a devil-may-care attitude.
"So, you admit you're out for a night stroll?"
Hermione was so angry she didn't know what to say for a moment.
She pounced on Xiao Deng and bit him.
"Hey, no, wait a second!"
Hermione was finally pulled away by Harry and Ron.
Xiao Deng looked at the teeth marks on his arm, feeling a mix of amusement and frustration.
The situation was somewhat awkward for a moment.
Ron asked:
"So, are we still going?"
Harry answered preemptively: "We're already out, there's no reason not to go."
It was not without reason that Harry was sorted into Gryffindor.
Hermione asked curiously: "Where are you going?"
"To the Fourth Floor!"
"Isn't wandering forbidden there? Are you going to break school rules again?"
Xiao Deng looked at his arm, then at Hermione.
"You are breaking school rules right now."
Hermione glared at Xiao Deng.
"I am stopping you!"
Xiao Deng spread his hands and asked:
"Just tell me, are you going or not?"
Hermione put her hands on her hips, righteous and stern.
"I'm not going!"
"Even if I, Hermione, die of curiosity, die outside, or jump off Hogwarts, I will not set foot on the Fourth Floor!"
Before she finished speaking, Xiao Deng signaled for Harryand Ron to leave with him.
Seeing that they were about to walk away, she stomped her foot and followed them anyway.
Harry and his group arrived at the entrance, where the staircase stood silently.
"What a coincidence, let's go!"
The group walked to the door, but it was locked.
Hermione went up and cast Alohomora, and the door opened immediately.
Xiao Deng looked at Hermione with a strange expression.
Aren't you the person who follows the rules?
Why did you unlock the door yourself?
Once inside, the three of them looked at Hermione with strange expressions.
Hermione also stared at the three of them with wide eyes.
Ron couldn't help but ask first:
"Hermione, who are you trying to scare with those wide eyes?"
Hermione said, trembling:
"Look behind you!"
Xiao Deng naturally knew who was staring from behind.
As soon as Harry and Ron turned around, they were immediately stunned by the Cerberus.
It stared fiercely at them, drool dripping from its mouth.
Ron's mouth trembled:
"Um, I don't think it likes us."
He kept backing up until he was pressed against the door.
Harry hurriedly said:
"Xiao Deng, hurry and dodge!"
Xiao Deng waved his hand calmly.
"No need, it's very easy to coax."
As he spoke, he walked toward the Cerberus.
Hermione reached out to grab Xiao Deng's sleeve but grabbed nothing.
"Come back quickly!"
Xiao Deng was not flustered at all and pulled a piece of meat from his pocket.
"Here, here, here~"
The Cerberus wagged its tail and came over.
It recognized Xiao Deng; he had come to feed it several times before, though he hadn't come recently.
Xiao Deng didn't pay attention to the others behind him; he waved his hand, and a zither landed next to the Cerberus.
As the music played, the Cerberus slowly fell asleep.
Harry stared, stepped forward, and tugged at Xiao Deng.
"Is it really fine now?"
Hermione looked at Xiao Deng thoughtfully; could it be that he was the one who instigated this night stroll?
Yes, it must be him; he never does his homework, he's such a jerk, and he loves making trouble.
Xiao Deng had no idea what Hermione was thinking.
He pointed to the entrance and said softly: "Let's go, let's go down and take a look."
The four of them jumped down smoothly.
Xiao Deng knew there was something below, but he didn't care much.
They wouldn't get hurt, at most they'd land on their butts.
Xiao Deng used his light-body technique and landed softly.
His body spun, and his robes fluttered.
He caught the falling Hermione in a big bridal carry.
"Thump~"
"Thump~"
Two thuds as they landed.
"Ouch, my butt!"
Ron's wail rang out, immediately echoing.
Harry also slowly got up and looked around in a daze.
"It's too dark here!"
"Lumos."
The scene revealed made the three of them gasp in unison.
Huge, snake-like tentacles were wriggling on the ground.
Ron trembled again and asked: "Did we walk into a python's nest?"
Chapter 60: Seamus, I'll Help You
"Ignorance is truly terrifying!"
"This is Devils Snare. Was your brain eaten by a Trollduring class?"
Hermione's voice came from not far away.
"They fear fire and light."
Harry breathed a sigh of relief.
"That's good. Fire, right? I'll cast it now."
Xiao Deng frowned slightly and spoke up to stop him.
"Just use Lumos; don't use fire."
Harry didn't understand Xiao Deng's intention, but he did as he said.
Xiao Deng was just about to lift his leg to walk out when he was called to a halt.
"Put me down first!"
"I'm afraid you'll jump!"
Seeing that Hermione looked like she wanted to bite him again, Xiao Deng immediately put Hermione down.
Hermione rolled her eyes at Xiao Deng and immediately took out her wand.
Everyone used Lumos and passed through smoothly.
The remaining levels were also passed successfully.
The four of them arrived in a spacious room.
Harry saw the mirror and exclaimed:
"This is the mirror of erised. I've seen it before."
"It can show you the things you desire most in the depths of your heart."
Ron looked around and frowned.
"Apart from a broken mirror, there doesn't seem to be anything else here."
"We speculated before that the Philosopher's Stone might be here. Where is it?"
Xiao Deng chuckled to himself. Of course it wasn't there.
The Philosopher's Stone was currently lying in Xiao Deng's space ring.
Lord Voldemort would likely never have a chance to get it in this lifetime.
Harry walked over and still saw his parents.
Ron looked around, found nothing, and also came to the front of the mirror.
In the mirror appeared a scene of Ron ordering Fred and George to serve him chicken legs.
Watching Ron, Hermione couldn't help but look at him with some disdain for his lack of ambition.
Hermione stood before the mirror, and her image slowly appeared within it.
She was sitting in an office chair at the Ministry of Magic, ordering Xiao Deng to serve her tea, pour water, and wipe the table.
Xiao Deng's face darkened. Damn it, you've already become the Minister for Magic and you still won't let me go.
Hermione felt a bit awkward.
"This mirror must be inaccurate!"
Harry looked at Xiao Deng, who didn't seem to have any intention of looking into the mirror.
"Xiao Deng, aren't you going to look?"
Xiao Deng shook his head slightly to indicate it wasn't necessary.
"Is there nothing you care about?"
Xiao Deng sighed slightly.
"I've been an orphan since I was a child, so there's nothing I really care about."
"Then don't you want to know who your parents are and what they look like?"
Xiao Deng looked at Harry with calm eyes.
"Not really."
"And what if I knew? What would that change?"
"It wouldn't change anything."
"Let's go!"
Watching Xiao Deng turn back, Harry fell silent.
He finally understood the reason why Dumbledorewouldn't let him look into the mirror.
One cannot always live in the past and in illusory things.
Looking forward is what living people should do.
On the way back, Xiao Deng once again put all the furnishings back in their original places.
After all, there was still a fish that hadn't taken the bait yet!
The three of them left the Fourth Floor Chamber of Secretswith disappointed faces.
"Harry, I'm so tired!"
"Me too!"
Although Hermione didn't say anything, her footsteps were clearly much weaker.
After all, before the trip to the Fourth Floor today, she had just been taught a lesson by Peeves.
If they didn't feel tired, it would truly be miraculous.
After returning to the Dormitory, they didn't have time to think about why there was no Philosopher's Stone; they just collapsed and fell asleep.
Xiao Deng didn't feel anything; he was a cultivator, so it wouldn't be a problem even if he didn't sleep.
He was just thinking about one problem: he had helped his roommates, so he might as well help Seamus too.
Before this, he hadn't had any ideas.
It wasn't until just now, when Harry wanted to burn the Devils Snare, that he suddenly had an inspiration.
Future growth could completely take a different direction.
The next day.
Several of them got out of bed, their bodies aching, and looked at Xiao Deng with resentment.
He's simply not human!
But there were classes today, and they couldn't be late.
Only Xiao Deng was moving slowly, not looking like he was going to class.
It felt more like he was on vacation.
Among them, Harry felt the most tired.
After class later, he still had to go train for Quidditch.
The most nightmarish part was that Xiao Deng smiled and said to him:
"After training is finished, come to the same classroom as yesterday."
It wasn't just Harry who felt like the sky was falling; the others felt like the sky over Hogwarts was falling too.
After class, everyone except Harry rushed back to the Dormitory to catch up on sleep.
Xiao Deng took the opportunity to grab Seamus, who looked at him in confusion.
"Seamus, your grades aren't terrible, but they aren't very good either."
"Have you ever thought about changing your direction of development?"
Bringing this up, Seamus himself was also quite troubled.
When dealing with purely academic subjects like History of Magic, his grades were passable.
For anything else that involved hands-on work or magical reactions, he easily caused explosions.
Even gentle magic like Healing Spells didn't dare to use him, for fear of adding injury to injury.
This made Seamus quite sad.
If a good student like Xiao Deng could provide him with ideas or solve his problems, that would be for the best.
Hermione:???
How is he a good student? He doesn't even do his homework!
Seamus asked with hope in his eyes:
"What direction?"
Xiao Deng wasn't in a hurry and gestured with his hand.
"Let's walk and talk."
"Your problem is that no matter what Spells, Potion, or related things you do, they inexplicably explode."
Seamus nodded immediately. Xiao Deng continued:
"Have you ever thought about one question?"
"You aren't good at other things, but you are a genius when it comes to blasting."
"If you devote yourself to studying Spells, Potion, or Herbology, you might achieve something."
"But it's highly likely you'd only manage to graduate, and in the eyes of others, you'd still be a half-filled bottle."
"And a half-filled bottle that could explode at any time."
"But!"
"What if you devote yourself to studying explosions?"
"This is your talent!"
"With even a little bit of achievement, you could become a famous figure at Hogwarts."
"If you research it deeply, becoming a master of blasting and rising to the top of the Wizarding World is not impossible."
"A mediocre, unknown young Wizard, versus a master labeled as a 'Blasting Genius'."
"Which is better, I think I don't need to say."
As Xiao Deng explained, the light gradually appeared in Seamus's eyes, which had previously been filled with gloom.
He seemed to have grasped something and also seemed to see hope for his future.
"Xiao Deng, please teach me!"
"No one has ever told me about this direction before."
Xiao Deng revealed a gentle smile.
"Of course I can teach you, but you must keep it a secret for now."
"After all, I don't want people to say I'm bewitching you or leading you astray."
Seamus looked at Xiao Deng firmly.
"I will definitely keep it a secret until I have mastered it!"
"You aren't leading me astray. I have a feeling that what you said is right, and that should be the path I take!"
Seamus looked around.
"We were chatting too intently; I didn't even notice when we walked out of the school."
Xiao Deng brought Seamus to the lakeside.
"This is the Forbidden Forest."
"But don't worry, there's no danger in this place."
Though his heart had skipped a beat just a moment ago, with Xiao Deng's assurance, he felt a little more at ease.
Xiao Deng looked at Seamus seriously.
"I'm going to teach you an explosive spell, one I created myself."
"Listen clearly, watch clearly!"
"Fire in the hole: Fire-Thunder Blast!"
Chapter 61: Broken by Training
"Boom!"
A huge sound echoed in the Forbidden Forest.
The lake water was blasted ten meters into the air.
Seamus watched the scene with his mouth wide open.
His own little explosions were practically child's play.
Seamus felt his heart pounding and his blood burning; it was a feeling of excitement.
He wanted to learn!
"Impervius: Impervious to water and fire."
Xiao Deng cast a magic spell on both himself and Seamus, watching Seamus's dazed expression quietly.
"Chirp chirp?"
"Boo-boo?"
"Chirp-mee?"
"Chirp chirp!"
"Wait, if he's not fighting, what is he doing?"
"He's playing with water!"
"Childish!"
Seamus stiffly turned his head toward Xiao Deng.
"Explosions can be used like this?"
Xiao Deng smiled.
"One-tenth of my power."
"It exploded before I even used any real effort."
Seamus grabbed Xiao Deng excitedly.
"I want to learn!"
"Demonstrate it again!"
Xiao Deng nodded with a gentle smile and slowly raised his wand.
"Fire in the hole!"
"Bang!"
The water in the center of the lake was sent ten meters into the air again.
"Moo moo!"
The animals drinking nearby were not pleased.
"Xiao Deng, that's enough!"
"I just came here for a drink!"
"What do you think you're doing, blowing things up over and over again?"
"I didn't even get a drink, and I got splashed in the face! Twice!"
Xiao Deng's mouth twitched; the animals' way of 'mooing' was truly simple and unadorned.
Fortunately, only he could understand them; Seamus, standing nearby, didn't feel a thing.
Xiao Deng ignored the animals' chirping and complaining.
Seamus also became focused, his attention entirely on the explosion Spells.
At first, there was no movement, but as Seamus persisted, his hard work finally paid off.
"Pop, pop" sounds began to appear in the water.
The explosion range was very small, sounding more like a stone being thrown into the lake.
It was a far cry from the scene Xiao Deng had created, but Seamus was still very excited.
This was the beginning of his success!
After a while, Xiao Deng came over and patted Seamus on the shoulder.
"It's about time; we should head back."
Seamus finally came back to his senses. Looking at the sky, it did indeed seem like it was almost time for dinner.
Seamus slowly lowered his arm holding the wand, feeling a wave of soreness.
Soreness was inevitable, as he had been practicing for quite a long time.
However, on the way back, Seamus was almost scared to tears.
Only then did he realize that Xiao Deng had really brought him to the Forbidden Forest.
He followed Xiao Deng closely, afraid that if he fell behind, he wouldn't be able to get back.
When they arrived at the Great Hall for dinner, Seamusfinally relaxed.
"Find a place to eat; I have other things to do."
Seamus nodded gratefully at Xiao Deng.
Xiao Deng walked slowly toward the office area with his hands behind his back.
Arriving at Snape's office—Snape was the only person who would let someone come and go as they pleased, and that person was probably Xiao Deng.
"Does the genius still have time to wander around here?"
As soon as he spoke, he couldn't say anything nice.
"It's for the Potion for your Harry."
Snape had gradually become immune to this, and it was hard to make him angry with such words anymore.
Snape waved his robe, and a bottle of Potion was placed on the table.
"Take it and get out so you can eat."
Tsk, clearly he cared about Harry so much.
Telling him to go eat was just a way to get the Potion to Harry as quickly as possible, right?
Xiao Deng curled his lip.
"I'll come by tomorrow when I have time."
Snape didn't say anything, and Xiao Deng knew he had agreed.
Carrying the Potion, Xiao Deng returned to the Great Hall.
He happened to see Harry and the others sitting down.
Xiao Deng walked over slowly and sat down next to Hermione.
"Harry, how did the training feel today?"
Harry raised his hand and looked at it.
"I feel great, it feels very natural."
Xiao Deng smiled gently.
"That's good, I look forward to your performance."
As he spoke, Xiao Deng placed Snape's Potion next to Harry's hand.
Harry's previously excited expression immediately wilted.
"This is the last time you take the medicine."
"There won't be any more after this."
"Your body is almost fully adjusted."
Upon hearing this, Harry's eyes lit up with a bright light.
"Really?"
"That's great!"
Harry pinched his nose and poured the Potion into his mouth.
However, the terrible taste he imagined did not appear.
"Is this Potion fake? It tastes okay today."
Xiao Deng smiled slightly; was Professor Snape's intent hard to guess? Not at all!
After all, it was the last time he had to take medicine.
Xiao Deng didn't explain anything for Snape, and he didn't need to.
Xiao Deng noticed Hermione looking at him frequently, turned his head to look at her, and their eyes met.
"Why are you looking at me?"
Hermione's face flushed slightly; she had been caught red-handed and felt a bit embarrassed.
"I was just wondering, after dinner..."
Xiao Deng's expression remained unchanged as he spoke unhurriedly.
"After dinner, do what you need to do, and meet in the same classroom in forty minutes."
Upon hearing this, the previously happy atmosphere instantly withered.
Ron asked with a bitter face: "We're still going?!"
"If I go for a few more days, I'll turn into Peeves!"
Xiao Deng didn't respond to Ron's complaint.
Neville looked up and asked: "Do I still need to notify Malfoy?"
Xiao Deng pondered for a moment and said: "Tell him to go to that classroom forty minutes after dinner from now on."
"I'll notify you if there are any changes."
Neville nodded, said nothing more, and started eating heartily.
Time flies, and forty minutes really isn't that long.
It was enough for them to finish their meal and ease their full stomachs, but it couldn't ease the despair in their hearts.
After just one day of training, Peeves had shattered the five of them inside.
When they arrived here again, their hearts felt as heavy as if they were going to a funeral.
A few of them followed Xiao Deng to the classroom reluctantly.
Peeves had long since arrived in the classroom, waiting in formation and full of passion.
Xiao Deng smiled gently.
"Have fun!"
Just as Xiao Deng was about to leave, he was called back by Hermione.
"Xiao Deng, where did you get all these things?"
Xiao Deng paused his steps and looked back at Hermione.
"You mean those materials?"
"I asked a senior from Hufflepuff to find Billy to collect these materials."
"Both the senior and Billy were very happy."
Hermione gritted her teeth and asked: "Very happy?"
Malfoy's heart skipped a beat.
Big brother, why are you saying this? Your wife is going to explode! Everyone knows this should be avoided, right?
But Hermione proved Malfoy's judgment wrong; she didn't say anything.
Xiao Deng didn't linger and walked out of the classroom.
However, the situation inside didn't last more than a few minutes.
Howls came out from inside again.
"Neville, watch out!"
"Harry, dodge!"
"Ah! My butt!"
That voice was definitely Ron; his butt had suffered again.
"Malfoy..."
"Ugh!"
"This is the sewage from Filch's toilet! That dog Xiao Deng, you bastard, I'm going to bite you to death when I get out!"
Standing outside the door and hearing the chaos inside, Xiao Deng couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.
It seems like it's another one-versus-five situation today; when will they ever grow up!
Chapter 62: The Snitching Storm
Xiao Deng didn't care about the crying and howling inside.
Instead, he found Seamus again and took him deep into the Forbidden Forest.
The two arrived by the lake again.
"Moo!!!"
"Xiao Deng, are you going to blow up the lake again?"
Xiao Deng ignored the animal lying by the water.
"You practice here, I have some business, I'll be back later."
Seeing Xiao Deng wanted to leave, Seamus immediately grabbed him.
"What if I get eaten?"
"Then I'll contact your parents, and we'll have a grand funeral."
Seeing Seamus getting more and more scared, Xiao Dengbeckoned with his right hand.
A massive bird that blotted out the sky descended.
"This is my Owl. If anything really happens, let it take you away, or come find me."
With Xiao Deng's assurance, Seamus's grip loosened slightly.
"Don't worry, there aren't many things that can fly in the Forbidden Forest."
"There are even fewer that can fly and are bigger than it."
"Those that can fly, are bigger than it, and have stronger attack capabilities must be at least in the deep parts."
"Such existences won't come to the outer areas."
After calming Seamus down, Xiao Deng left on his own.
He came to the area he often visited and sat cross-legged.
Xiao Deng had been suppressing his cultivation realm for a long time.
If he didn't break through, there would inevitably be a backlash.
Fortunately, no animals were willing to come to this area.
No one would disturb Xiao Deng!
The energy around the Forbidden Forest was continuously absorbed into Xiao Deng's body.
His robes fluttered without wind, making a flapping sound.
Finally, it returned to calm.
Xiao Deng slowly opened his eyes and clenched his fists.
"It seems I really suppressed it for too long; as soon as I relaxed, my realm shot up."
"The peak of Gold Core formation was still the result of hard suppression."
"Entering the Nascent Soul stage is just a matter of whether I want to or not."
Now it seems that even the creatures in the Forbidden Forest don't pose much of a threat.
Xiao Deng slowly stood up.
"Boom!"
A huge explosion sounded.
Xiao Deng's divine sense instantly arrived at the lake where Seamus was.
He saw the water in the lake exploding into the air.
Although it wasn't as exaggerated as his dozen meters, the effect was quite good.
"Moo!!!"
"You little brat, that bastard Xiao Deng blows things up, and you do too!"
Xiao Deng laughed.
Better take Seamus and leave quickly, don't provoke it too much.
Xiao Deng flashed to Seamus's side.
Seeing Xiao Deng, Seamus shouted excitedly:
"Xiao Deng, I succeeded!"
"Did you see that? I succeeded!"
Xiao Deng looked at him and smiled, saying nothing.
Seamus underestimated his talent in this area.
Actually, he succeeded the first time, just not very skillfully.
"Alright, since you succeeded, let's go back."
"Just don't use this Spells casually on people."
Seamus nodded, he knew that.
With such a large explosion, even if it doesn't kill you, it'll take a layer of skin off.
Xiao Deng and Seamus returned to Hogwarts together.
From afar, they saw two figures looking around at the entrance.
Seeing Xiao Deng, their eyes lit up.
"Xiao Deng, something happened!"
Xiao Deng didn't panic and turned to look at Seamus.
"You go back first, I have something to do!"
Seamus didn't know what was going on between the three, but he nodded and left.
"What's so urgent?"
Fred said while walking: "You better go to the Headmasters Office."
George: "And several Professors are waiting for you there!"
Fred: "It seems to be about you teaching them Spells."
Xiao Deng revealed a gentle smile.
"It's fine, I'll go take a look."
Xiao Deng walked unhurriedly to Dumbledore's office.
Due to the permissions Dumbledore gave him, Xiao Dengentered directly.
"Professors, is there something you need me for?"
Professor McGonagall looked at Xiao Deng with complex eyes.
She had brought this child back personally, and thought very highly of him at the time.
But she didn't expect him to be so mischievous.
Although Snape was expressionless, Xiao Deng knew he was gloating.
Dumbledore said nothing, and his face gave no useful information.
Finally, Professor McGonagall spoke up.
"Xiao Deng, tell us, what's going on with them?"
The few who were originally righteous and indignant didn't dare to meet Xiao Deng's eyes when he looked over.
Xiao Deng didn't answer Professor McGonagall directly, but spoke to the others:
"Tell me, what's going on?"
The four of them didn't speak and didn't dare to look at Xiao Deng's expression.
"But I have a question, why didn't Malfoy come?"
Professor McGonagall's voice rose: "Malfoy is involved too?"
The others still didn't speak.
Harry didn't dare to say anything; Malfoy had advised him not to come before.
He said he was also emotional, but he couldn't afford to lose face, so he didn't come.
But Gryffindor, once emotional, ignores everything.
Professor McGonagall's expression became slightly more serious.
"Xiao Deng, look at how scared you've made them."
"If they don't want to say it, I'll say it for them!"
"I ask you, did you teach them Spells in private?"
Xiao Deng's face was calm, expressionless like Snapeusually is.
"Yes, Professor!"
Professor McGonagall's eyes became even more complex.
"Your abilities are witnessed by all the Professors."
"It can be said that in the history of Hogwarts, your talent ranks in the top three."
"You have good intentions wanting to teach them things, but you can't force them!"
"And you can't throw manure water; that damages a gentleman's image!"
"What kind of behavior is that?"
"And you let Peeves come to help!"
"Do you not know what Peeves is like?"
"The whole school finds him a headache, and yet you cooperate with him!"
"And you tricked the Hufflepuff girls into contacting the kitchen for you."
"And even took them into the Forbidden Forest!"
"If something happened to them, could you take responsibility?"
"How would Hogwarts face their parents?"
"The complaint letters could bury you!"
...
Watching Xiao Deng's calm and indifferent appearance, Dumbledore took an extra look at him.
Not everyone can withstand Professor McGonagall's nagging.
Professor McGonagall finally caught her breath.
Xiao Deng then asked:
"Professor McGonagall, may I speak now?"
This elegant manner made Professor McGonagall's eyes soften slightly.
She thought Xiao Deng was good back then, wasn't it because of this calm nature that she liked him?
"Of course!"
"Although you made some mistakes, no one can deprive you of the right to speak."
"Whatever you want to say, please say it."
"As long as what you say is reasonable, the Professors will carefully consider the content."
Xiao Deng calmly adjusted his clothes and looked at Dumbledore.
"Principal, please give me a lemon sherbet."
This made Professor McGonagall's eyelid twitch, remembering her previous conversation with Albus.
After Xiao Deng ate the lemon sherbet, he asked a question.
"Professor McGonagall, is that how they told you it happened?"
Chapter 63 The Unicorn Wants to See Xiao Deng
Professor McGonagall thought for a moment.
"By and large, that's about it."
Xiao Deng nodded and glanced at the four of them.
"First, I want to clarify one thing."
"It wasn't me who wanted to teach them."
Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore exchanged glances, and the three of them said nothing.
"At the beginning, it was Malfoy who found me, hoping I would teach him some Spells."
"This matter was not hidden from them."
"But they all wanted to join in."
"I have already been slightly lenient with them and haven't demanded anything."
"And in order for Harry to keep up with the intensity, I even asked Professor Snape to make some body-strengthening potions for him."
Professor McGonagall looked at Snape, and Snape only said one word.
"Yes!"
"When Malfoy wanted to learn with me, he even agreed to three conditions: everything would be according to me."
"It is quite obvious that Malfoy has more or less succeeded."
Professor McGonagall hadn't expected it to be like this.
Hermione didn't dare to lift her head to look at Xiao Denganymore.
Setting Malfoy aside, she was the first person to strongly demand that Xiao Deng teach her.
Now she felt a bit regretful about coming here!
She had been impulsive under the impact of the dung water; she now understood Filch a little better.
Xiao Deng had not finished speaking.
"I don't know who suggested this idea of complaining."
"But it doesn't matter anymore."
"I also have some things I want to say!"
"You think I'm not gentlemanly enough, and that Peevesand I taking kitchen trash to throw at you—have you thought about the issue?"
"Me, Xiao Deng, why am I so powerful?"
"Is it really just because of talent?"
Hearing this, the few Professors pricked up their ears.
"That is the strength I fought for, step by step, Spell by Spell."
"Why did I dare to take you to the Forbidden Forest?"
"On what grounds did I take you into the Forbidden Forest?"
"Before taking you there, I, with just one wand, achieved these battle records!"
"Whenever I had nothing to do, I would go to the Forbidden Forest to challenge animals one-on-one!"
"I have almost challenged every species in the Forbidden Forest!"
"I even challenged entire tribes!"
"They couldn't beat me, and they were afraid of getting beaten up, so they stayed far away from me."
"Do you think it was just good luck that I didn't encounter danger every day I went?"
The four of them raised their heads in shock to look at Xiao Deng.
At the time, they really thought it was just good luck that they didn't encounter any powerful, aggressive beasts.
Xiao Deng sneered.
"You want to be gentlemen?"
"When you encounter danger, will your enemy be a gentleman to you?"
"You were only facing Peeves, yet you were wailing and crying."
"If someone came to attack Hogwarts, what would you do?"
"Ron, you like to howl the most; do you plan on using your howling to scare away the enemy?"
"Neville, your personality likes to avoid things; even though you have the weight, you are also agile and can dodge."
"But do you plan to use dodging to make your enemy admire you so they won't attack you?"
"Hermione, I heard you want to bite me?"
"Do you also plan to bite your enemy to death like that?"
"In that case, the Cerberus would have to become your apprentice!"
"Harry, The Chosen One?"
Xiao Deng didn't specifically single out Harry; The Chosen One didn't need that much stimulation.
Instead, Snape's face was full of agreement!
Exactly, Mr. Chosen One is self-righteous!
"I didn't leave immediately when I was outside the classroom door; I observed your situation."
"Five against one!"
"You couldn't even organize a decent resistance."
"How dare you complain?"
Professor McGonagall frowned.
"Xiao Deng, that's too harsh."
Xiao Deng bowed slightly.
"Professor McGonagall, a greenhouse cannot grow towering trees."
All three Professors had experienced the turbulent Wizarding World.
Naturally, they knew the value of Xiao Deng's words.
All of this actually seemed like Xiao Deng was trying his best to help them grow.
It's just... they were too delicate!
If it were really the period when the Dark Lord was in power, nobody would care about this or that.
Xiao Deng softened his tone and looked at the four of them.
"Today, here, with the three Professors as witnesses."
"I announce that the Spell practice group is disbanded."
"From now on, you don't have to follow me to practice."
"You are free!"
Hermione couldn't help but shout.
"Xiao Deng..."
Xiao Deng glanced at her and didn't speak.
Then he turned to the three Professors.
"Three Professors, I will bear any punishment alone; it has nothing to do with them."
The three Professors looked at each other; it had to be said that Xiao Deng had already done very well with what he could do.
Although it violated school rules, it was all being conducted with a plan, with safeguards, and with a purpose.
But people are still people; they cannot be managed by purely cold and rigid rules.
Professor McGonagall took a deep breath, not expecting this little guy to have considered so much.
"As for your punishment, let's put it aside for now; we still need to discuss it."
"Then this student will take his leave."
After receiving consent, Xiao Deng left Dumbledore's office without looking back.
Professor McGonagall looked at the four people in front of her with a complex expression.
She didn't know what to say now either.
With their dejected appearances, it was obvious they regretted it.
Professor McGonagall found it hard to say anything harsh.
"Gryffindor is about courage, not recklessness."
"Being controlled by emotions and doing irrational things is no different from a Troll."
"Reflect on this properly!"
"This matter is temporarily shelved."
"Go back."
After Xiao Deng came out of the office and looked at the moving staircases, he suddenly felt a wave of relief.
When did he become so fond of playing the teacher?
He was almost forgetting the basic training of a Hehuan Sect disciple.
Now that he thought about it, the senior from Hufflepuffwas also quite nice.
He should go find his concubine Taotao to chat; it seemed he hadn't seen her for a long time.
Thinking this, he headed towards the washroom.
Just after walking two steps, his path was blocked by a tall figure.
"Hagrid, are you looking for me?"
Hagrid nodded.
"The Unicorn's injuries are almost healed."
"I can't keep it trapped on my side forever, so I've decided to let them go back."
"But the Unicorn wants to see you."
Xiao Deng was stunned.
"What does it want to see me for? I'm not the forest."
"What's more, that Unicorn doesn't like me, you know that."
Hagrid's hands were waving around in the air.
"Maybe there was some misunderstanding."
"But it strongly requested to see you."
Xiao Deng pondered for a moment and then raised his head.
"Fine, since they are leaving anyway, seeing it is reasonable."
Hearing Xiao Deng agree, Hagrid was very happy.
Xiao Deng followed Hagrid to the clearing behind the hut.
After seeing Xiao Deng arrive, Little White jumped over first.
"Brother, you've come to see us!"
Little White's cheering and leaping appearance made the corners of Xiao Deng's mouth curl up.
"I heard you were leaving, so I came to see you."
Seeing that Xiao Deng's attitude was quite good, Hagridquietly withdrew from the clearing.
The Unicorn must have its own thoughts.
Big White walked over slowly from not far away, its movements fluid; it was no longer possible to tell it had ever been injured.
Xiao Deng put Little White down and looked at Big White.
"I heard from Hagrid that you were determined to find me; is there something you need?"